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Anorectal Abscess Question

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/30/2011 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Okay so 1 month and 3 weeks ago (exactly) I went to the hospital for what I thought was hemorrhoids (Embarrassing) No pun intended, anyway I got diagnosed with a Anorectal Abscess, They gave me antibiotics through a drip bag and some to take home along with pain medication, Things got worse, so I had to go back where they drained my abscess (He cut it open, no packing or anything) I was then sent home two days later, I got told to simply keep it clean and don't strain in any way, so I've been doing this and it has yet to heal completely, Like I stated its been a month and three weeks, and It still drains a little pus and blood occasionally, The pain has decreased by a ton, It hurts maybe for a little while aday but nothing too bad, (Compared to before this is great) But like said, Has not healed up yet, I don't know anyone that's ever had one of these so this seems like a long time for it to not heal, I was wondering is this in any sense normal, What can I do to help the situation, and any advice/tips, thank you very much.
Posted 9/30/2011 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
This sort of thing really depends on the person, the abscess (size, location), current Crohn's activity... many factors.  I can say that I had an abscess that took about 2-3 months to fully heal (it was packed with gauze daily by nurses).  It's also possible that your abscess was fed by a fistula, which could explain the lack of healing.

I think ultimately you should be seeing your surgeon for a follow up appointment so she/he can take a look and determine the best course of action.  It sounds like nothing to worry about, but the surgeon has tools to help if it is healing slowly, or if it is actually a fistula.

Posted 9/30/2011 9:27 AM (GMT 0)
I got checked for a fistula, I have no fistula, The spot its in is very bad, its like a cut of a crease, every time I move it possibly breaks open I understand this, I'm more paranoid then anything, "Will I get a infection" "Will I get a blood infection" "Am I gonna die" etc, I'm very scared, I will be going back to the hospital within the next week or two, Is this normal for it to not heal by now? (No packing or anything, Cut left open), I'm very scared., Thanks for your response I appreciate it.
Posted 9/30/2011 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't worry over it.  The time to worry is when you start getting an infection again - fevers, increased pain, redness and warmth.  Even then you don't really need to worry, you just need to see a doctor quickly to make sure it's kept under control.  Abscesses can take a long time to heal, especially if they are in an area that doesn't get a lot of rest like yours.  As I mentioned, I have had an abscess that took close to 3 months to heal.  It's a pain and kept me from doing much, but it did heal eventually.

Seeing the surgeon may just be helpful because he may have tools to help it heal faster.  There are creams, packing, resins, and minor surgeries (sort of aggrevating the wound to encourage it to keep healing) that can help it heal faster.

Hopefully that helps alleviate some of the worries.  These things can be extremely stressful and scary because it's new and you don't know what's happening or what to expect.  I've been through that a few times before.  I imagine things will look better soon and you'll be back up and healthy.  With my 3 month abscess it felt like it would never heal, and then all of a sudden things cleared up, the pain went away, and it was like I never had it.

Good luck!  I hope things turn around soon.

Posted 9/30/2011 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
Ah, I forgot to mention - make sure you are eating properly and getting enough nutrition.  Healing a wound like that puts more demands on your body's resources.  You'll want to make sure you're getting enough protien, zinc, and vitamins.  Poor nutrition can cause slower healing of wounds.
Posted 10/2/2011 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you very much for your answers, A couple days has passed its about the same but hurting less (Still bleeds occasionally) I cant obviously expect much in 2 days compared to its been 1 month and 3 weeks since the surgery, But you did give me a lot of hope and decreased worries, anyone else got any opinions..tips..or stories (Unless you can tell me more) they'd like to share id deeply appreciate it. Thanks a ton.

~Fly me to the moon~
Posted 10/2/2011 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you're not worrying so much, as there's no need at this point.

My son had an abcess on his buttocks and it took a couple of months before it healed, and the spot was visible even longer. Try having sitz baths with some salt, and maybe try a gentle antibacterial soap to wash your behind.

Best wishes!
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